Make It Big (to Proofread)

I am always surprised when people in writing classes proofread their documents in type this size. (For those who couldn't read that phrase, it said "in type this size.") They stare at the screen, asking themselves "Do I have a comma or a semicolon there?" and "Is that a period or a blank space?" and "Does that name look right?"

To make proofreading easier, why not:

Make it big.

It isn't necessary to change the font itself from 10 or 12 point to 16. You should be able to simply change your view of the screen.

In my version of Microsoft Office, I use the zoom feature. It allows me to zoom in to see any section of the page close up. When proofreading, I use the 100 percent setting. When zoom is set at only 50 percent, the details are more difficult to see.

My keyboard also has a zoom feature, which allows me to zoom in on the screen with one quick finger stroke.

Why squint at your screen, especially when proofreading? You don't want your $1,000 offer to sneak by you as $11,000. Or what about "killing" the order when you hoped to be "filling" it? Your grammar and spelling checker won't help you in either situation.

The success of your message depends on proofreading. Why not make it big?

Fest wishes,   (just kidding)

Lynn

Comments

[Lillie Ammann]

This is an excellent tip - absolutely critical to those of us with eyes that don't see as well as they used to.

[Kathy]

I'm in the process of moving my blog to WordPress and the hardest part of the move has been choosing a template with a default font large enough for people with non-20/20 vision to read. I do enjoy a larger font, not only for proofreading, but every day reading. My eyes aren't what they used to be.

[Lynn]

Kathy, you probably know that people can adjust the size of the type they read on their screen. Although I haven't adjusted mine recently, I believe it is through the Control Panel, then Display.

So you don't have to take complete responsibility for the size of what people read.

Thanks for commenting.

Lynn